Answers in Blood
by Professor Balorjey
Summary: Second installment of The Jedi of Yamaran. Lea Balorjey is back home, but she isn't there for a family visit...
1. Chapter 1

**General Lea Balorjey is called to her homeworld on fatal circumstances! Yamaran, the home to many Jedi, is tense with uprisings and rebellions. Pleas have come to the young Jedi to ease these peacefully, along with the 618th Legion…**


	2. Chapter 1: Yamaran

A jolt awakened General Lea Balorjey, along with the sight of blue skies outside the gunship. Lush green hills and light gray mountains welcomed her home, along with two small barges flanking their ships. Soldiers in white and black robes stared at them, their stoic white masks boring into her.

She smiled wide and nodded to one who leaned on his electrostaff.

" _Tolonomey_ ," she called in greeting.

The soldier nodded his acknowledgement, standing straight again.

The gunship brushed the ground, touching down smoothly. The doors opened and she was never happier to set foot on a planet. Soft, green grass gave way for the troopers behind her, who walked out slowly and respectfully.

She was bound as a Yamarani to brief these men on the laws of her planet, and they were very careful not to disrupt anyone, given the punishment for breaking the Column of Respect, only hundreds of their many rules, was to be kicked off the planet promptly. Commander Grey looked very taken by the scene of such a picturesque biome, smiling hysterically.

Lea waited for the two barges to touch down and see if there was anyone she remembered from her toddler days there. Six guards stepped out of each barge, encircling the two gunships. Some of the troopers under her charge seemed a little ticked off by being cut off, but did nothing disrespectful.

" _Ilosha Resopobo?_ " asked one guard, walking up to Lea. /You Republic?/

She bowed low and nodded. " _Sha. Ked ess 618th Leji, mori Sarsarmaja Lea Balorjey_." /Yes. This is the 618th Legion, I'm Jedi Lea Balorjey./

" _Forjoki_." The guard nodded, taking off his mask. /Very good./

Grey recognized that face. He was the man on the hologram all those weeks ago, with dark hair, dark eyes, and a bright smile.

"Letirmi!" Lea exclaimed, throwing any formalities out the window and hugged him tightly.

" _Ess ilosha fors, Sahsari_?" Letirmi laughed, hugging her back. /Are you good, Sister?/

" _Sha, Bahsahd_." Lea nodded. She turned to Grey, who looked at them, completely at a loss. "Grey, this is Letirmi." She looked back at her brother, motioning to her commander. " _Lolion ess Condaja Grey'soja._ " /Yes, Brother. He is Commander Grey./

The commander reached out his hand, expecting a good handshake, but he received a hug instead.

"I've learned Basic," said Letirmi. "No need to worry, Brother."  
"Oh," said Grey. "Okay."

The guard's face fell. "Lela isn't getting better, Lea." He sighed. "She was hurt worse than we expected."

Redflag heard the word 'hurt' and was engaged. "I'll see what I can do."

Lea turned to him and shook her head. "No offense, but whatever you can come up with, the Yamarani doctors probably have tried that already. They have centuries of ancient and modern medicine on their side."

Letirmi nodded. "At least they know what's wrong. She's suffered internal damage, and so far, bacta is only a temporary relief. They have her on it right now, but we know it's not going to hold."

Grey frowned. "Well… that's odder than I imagined."

Letirmi nodded. "Sister Lela had been born with a disorder in her blood, and now she won't stop bleeding."

Lea frowned. "I knew that had something to do with it," she mumbled. "Let's get going." She motioned for the 618th to follow the guards, who walked down to the depression of land in the shadows of the towering mountains.

From where he was standing Grey could see an expansive, light city made of glass and thin strips of durasteel. The city's residential space was shrouded in greenery, but he could make out glass, box-like buildings in between the trees. The rest of the city was kept together by a neat, clean road of transparent substances lined with trees. People bustled through the city, chattering and calling to each other.

Though some places didn't look so peaceful. He saw crowds jeering and crying at one large, regal building, throwing things and calling out what he guessed were hurtful words on the native tongue of the Yamarani.

"That's the High Court," explained Letirmi, pointing at the palace-like building. "The start of all the rebellions."

"Was your sister a bystander? An insurgent?" asked Grey.

"Try high queen." The guard smiled weakly, trying to live up to his reputation of joking around.

Grey frowned. He faced Lea with surprise. "Got some royal blood on you?"

Lea laughed slightly. "Sure."


	3. Chapter 2: Lela

Lea sat at her sister's side, smiling. Lela opened her eyes to slits, noticing the Jedi at her side.

"Just had to get yourself hurt," she joked.

Lela Balorjey smiled. "It wasn't my fault this time, Lea." She laughed.

Their smiles faded, Letirmi entering.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't come earlier." Lea rubbed her sister's pale hand. "I was disoriented, I had just come back from my first mission-"

"You're here now," Lela said, smiling.

Grey sighed and entered as well, making the queen frown.

" _Hu tosa ess soja_?" she asked Lea. /Who should this Mister be?/

"I'm Commander Grey, and I'm with her." He pointed at Lea.

" _Codaja Grey'soja,_ " answered the Jedi. " _Lolion ess seyhe kosh huse._ " /Commander Grey. He is here for you./

"What happened back here?" Grey asked. "Uprisings, rebellions, tension… what brought this up?"

Lea translated, Lela answered, and the Jedi turned to him.

"Turns out the new king isn't trustworthy," she explained. "Everyone hates him. She said he fought his way into the High Court, and no one stopped him. She had looked into what she could, but that's when she was stopped in an uprising riot. They thought she actually accepted the new king into the Court." She frowned, then turned to her sister. " _Hu ess lolion?_ " /Who is he?/

Lela whispered, " _Coto_ _Dooku'soja_."

Grey grimaced. "I don't need a translation for that one."

"Dooku?" Lea growled. "Once I'm done with him I'll-"

Letirmi's eyes widened and he clasped a hand over her mouth until she finished. She nodded and he took his hand away.

"It's just like that little snake," she seethed, "to weasel his way into our government."

"We'll be fine," said Letirmi. "What we need to worry about is Lela's recovery."

Lea looked up. "Grey, is it fine if you leave us in private?"

The commander consented, leaving them. He heard the three speaking in their native language, voices being raised and desperation being hinted.

"I told you it could work, Lela!" Lea exclaimed.

"Do you know what it could have done to you?" Lela wiped away her tears. "You almost died that day!"

"And I didn't." The Jedi leaned in. "Our blood is the same, Sister, down to the disorder. I was born with it all, and I'm as healthy as humanly possible."

The queen hesitated, but Letirmi laid a hand on her shoulder. "It could work, Sister."

Lela sighed. "We could try it."

Lea smiled. "That's a good girl."


	4. Chapter 3: Almost Explained

"You're doing what?" Grey rose an eyebrow.

" _Careful, Alita_." Lea swallowed, laying her arm on the table.

The doctor looked up, smiling. " _You know me, Lea. I'll be careful_."

He placed the syringe into the pit of her elbow, making her wince slightly. Then she looked up. "Lela and I agreed on this. The doctors are going to use my blood to make a healing serum, and they're going to use it to save Lela's state."

Grey frowned. "How does your blood help?"

She looked at the doctor. " _How much do you need?_ "

Alita pointed at two more empty vials as he unlatched the fourth tube. " _Just these. We need to test it for impurities, then we convert it_."

Lea nodded, watching her blood run into the tube.

"You didn't answer my question, General." Grey straightened out, arms crossed.

"I don't want to answer it right now," protested Lea, taking the bacta Alita handed to her. She stood and applied it, walking away. "I have my sister, Dooku, my whole planet to worry about."

Grey rolled his eyes and followed. She stepped outside, her commander behind her. The glorious glass building the Yamarani called a hospital shone in the high noon sun, the turquoise tint gleaming into his eyes. He was welcomed with the smell of freshly cut topiaries, flowers, and fresh water.

Lea didn't even try to enjoy it. She stormed into the residential sector of the city, slamming a fist into the entrance button of one apartment.

"Come in," she said curtly, motioning for the commander to enter.

"Judging by your attitude, I'm pretty sure you're upset." Grey obeyed and entered, struck by its enormous living space. The walls were made of glass, as was the ceiling. Sofas and tables dotted each deck, stairs and catwalks connecting them, though each deck was under the same roof and ceiling.

Lea sat on one sofa, curling into a cat-like ball. "I just hope this works."

"Question. Answer. Now." Grey shrugged. "As commander and general, we need to trust each other with information. If you can't trust me with some secret, then I don't know how easy it'll be for me to trust you with anything."

The Jedi sighed and closed her eyes. "Fine. It's just, hard to understand." She sat up, gazing at her commander. "When I was born, things were-"

They were interrupted by red lights and blaring security alarms.

"Uh oh," Lea muttered, fingering her lightsabers.

"Please tell me that was a security breach," pleaded Grey.

"Is it ever?"

The Jedi shook her head, running outside. She looked up, seeing the hospital crumble, alarms shrieking. Civilians screamed and ran and hid in different directions, allowing Lea and Grey an easy path back to the facility.

"Lela!" screamed Lea, Forcing herself into the hospital. Doctors ran out, some pushing whatever gurneys they could out of the main body. She pushed past the civilians running the opposite direction, white-hot flames licking at her shoulders.

 _Whoever started this is getting kriff when I'm done with him_ , she thought, running up the falling stairs to find her sister.

Grey panicked. "General!" he yelled over the turmoil. "Lea!"

He watched as one certain doctor, wearing a black tunic and a white wrap, his long hair in a ponytail, stumble out, holding his side.

The commander fell at his side, helping him to his feet. "Alita?"

The doctor squinted his eyes open. " _Lela…_ " he groaned. " _Letirmi. Koj cando mov!_ " /Lela… Letirmi! They can't move!/

"I'll take that as a bad warning," grunted Grey, hauling Alita from the fire. Once he was out of the way, the commander found his helmet and donned it, running into the hospital.


	5. Chapter 4: Faceoff

"Lela!" the Jedi screamed again. "Letirmi, answer me!"

The room around her grew hotter and hotter. The ground cracked under her. _Come on,_ she thought, _couldn't think of anything stronger than glass?_

Screams came from the next cell over. Lea looked down at the ground under her. No time. The floor shattered underneath her, and she jumped, rolling onto more solid ground. She ran into the cell, finding Lela and Letirmi trapped inside. Her brother covered her in his Yamarani Guard robe, still panicking. The queen clutched him tightly, screaming with fear.

"Don't worry," grunted Lea, taking their hands. "Family's here."

Letirmi smiled, still wide-eyed with trauma.

The ground cracked again beneath Lea. "There's no time for jumping," she explained. "You have to trust me."

"I trust you, Sister," the siblings said in unison.

"Good. I know you're about to hate me." Lea pulled them in, letting the glass shatter under her. She held their hands tighter, closing her eyes. She focused the Force above her, creating a shield, letting debris fall over the side.

She sensed a presence for whom she couldn't be more thankful.

"Grey, catch!" Lea let go of Letirmi's and Lela's hands, screaming and flailing.

"Wha-" The commander couldn't finish his sentence before he was thrown to the ground by two bodies.

Lea caught herself this time. Rolling to her feet, she helped up her siblings and her commander. "We have to get out of here! The hospital's set to explode!"

Grey shook his head out of whatever daze his general put him into and got the picture. Letirmi nodded and assisted Lela, holding her arm. The four ran out of the building, flying out of the entrance right as it caught on fire.

"No time to relish the moment!" Lea helped up her brother and sister, beckoning the commander along. "This is going to explode!"

"Out of the way! Get out of the way!" Lea pushed past each civilian, pulling them away from the burning hospital.

 _Again with me and explosions!_ Lea thought, panting as she ran.

And there was the long awaited explosion. Each story of the facility panged out of existence, the lowest story blowing the four forward. The worst the Jedi got this time was a bruised forehead, and she didn't think that was bad.

Fire crackled on behind them. Lea's eyes fluttered open, and she noticed Grey's hand on hers.

"You okay?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," she groaned, pushing herself up. "Yeah, I'm fine this time. Are Lela and Letirmi-"

"They're fine. Letirmi's bringing your sister to the nearest health facility."

Lea stumbled into Grey's arms, still dizzied from the blow.

"I only wonder…" she said, holding her head. "Who could have the insecurity to bust up a building full of sick and injured people?"

Grey frowned. "I can take a guess."

Lea followed his gaze, pushing herself away from him to snatch her lightsabers. Grey unholstered his pistols, aiming them at the same foe.

The light from the two red lightsabers disclosed a figure walking through the dust and debris.

"Ventress," Lea growled, activating her lightsabers.

"Who knew dirty work could be so much fun?" the assassin said venomously, showing Lea what exactly she had in her hand.

The Jedi's eyes widened. "My blood samples," she breathed, switching back to Jedi mode. "Give them back!" She Force jumped forward, covering her landing with her sabers.

Grey snapped out of surprise and shot round after round at Ventress's hands, which moved with her sabers to deflect Lea's attacks.

"Again! Blood! Why is it so important?" The commander got so close he grabbed for the blood samples, but Asajj Forced him away. He rolled into the debris, his shoulders becoming lodged in the sharp remains of walls. He groaned in pain as he tried to move out, but the glass dug further into his unguarded collarbone.

"You'll understand!" answered Lea, kicking Ventress hard in the stomach. "Sometime!"

The assassin was pushed back, skidding to a stop. She roared with rage as she leaped high in the air, driving herself down above the general.

"No!" Grey watched helplessly as the battle grew more intense, unable to move.

Lea was a much quicker Jedi than the commander had seen. When any other would have been decapitated by the assassin, she covered her top with her shoto and pushed Ventress to the ground. The blood samples rolled away, just in reach of Grey. He fingered them into his palm, away from Asajj's view.

Lea kept Ventress pinned and brought her comlink to her lips. "Riot Squadron, your passage into the city's granted. Come clean up the mess."

Asajj growled. "Don't count this as a win yet." She quickly kicked into the Jedi's stomach, pushing her back. The assassin brought herself to her feet. Triumphantly, she touched the empty space on her belt, frowning immediately. "What-?"

Grey hid the blood samples with his hand.

Ventress roared with frustration, and everyone heard the turbulence caused by two LAAT/i's touching down with the Riot Squadron onboard.

"No time to find them, Ventress," Lea groaned, smiling as she held her stomach.

The assassin shifted her grip on her lightsabers, showing her anger.

"You won't catch me this time, Jedi," she hissed, running in the opposite direction.

The Riot Squadron jumped out, firing at her. Aurek's blasts came close, but Ventress kept her six covered with her red lightsabers.

"I hate that harpy!" yelled Bolo, helping up Lea.

Catchol kicked away the debris locking his commander to the ground, making Grey groan with pain again.

"There are other ways of getting all that off," he said, holding his shoulder. "Like really careful ways."

"Sorry, sir." Catchol helped him up, carefully avoiding his shoulders. "We'll get that looked at."

"Well, the harpy's gone." Step slung his Z/6 over his shoulder and looked behind him at the smoldering hospital. He just stared, unreactive. "Big mess."

"Sorry about that," said Lea. "Things got desperate."


	6. Chapter 5: Funny Explanations

The Pyro Team got to work snuffing out the rest of the flames surrounding the rubble that once was a hospital, the Riot Squadron packed up, while Lea and Grey watched.

"Can you answer me now, General?" asked the commander. "Or are you still too busy?"

The Jedi smiled weakly. "I guess." She looked down at the blood samples in her hand. "I was born with the same disorder as Lela in my blood. I would have died that day… if I didn't have a high midi-chlorian count. I used to have the same count as Master Windu, but the whole disorder cut down on that."

"How so?"

"The midi-chlorians mutated to save me." She paused to give herself an incredulous chuckle. "I was dying, so my count changed to heal me. I guess you could say fatal accounts knock them out of me, but otherwise, they're there to heal me." She laughed. "It was funny when I caught that virus. Redflag totally freaked when I got over it in fifteen minutes."

Grey didn't laugh with her. "So- you can't die because of some freak happening with your midi-chlorians."

"It sounds crazy even when you sum it up." She sighed. "I just didn't want to be treated differently, like I'm some immortal being or something crazy like that."

"Do people actually do that?" he snorted.

"Promise you'll keep the secret?" she pleaded.

Grey gave her a side grin. "You wouldn't believe how long I can keep my lips shut."

She smiled. "Thanks."

One last gunship touched down, which piqued Lea's curiosity. She and Grey ran up the hill to the clearing, finding three protesting clones surrounded by Yamarani Guards.

"Come on, we were just disbanded by the same people!" said one, raising his hands as the Guard came closer. "We're Republic! Resblah… blah, blah, something!"

"Ked ess Resopobo," urged Lea. /They're Republic!/

"Cuff, Beck, Pluck." Grey doffed his helmet and nodded to the soldiers. "What are you doing here?"

The one named Beck stepped up. "Delays. Big-time delays. We were told to tell you-"

"Aw, we missed the battle?" Pluck craned his head to see the rubble of a once grand hospital.

"There was hardly a battle," Lea said, shaking her head. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Kamino," answered Pluck, making Grey stiffen. "It's under attack. Again."

Lea and her commander shared worried glances. "Grey," she said. "Tell the boys they're going home."


	7. Epilogue: Unsuccessful

"I failed to retrieve the blood samples, Master," said Ventress, entering the Court. "Turns out that brat knows a thing or two with lightsabers."

Dooku rose an eyebrow, still staring out the immense window of the Palace, watching his plan unfurl as the hospital crumbled into rubble.

"You know this can compromise our plan," he said evenly if not coolly.

"I know, Master." Ventress lowered onto her knees. "There's always a weakness. We can find Lea's weak point and use it against her."

"The problem is finding it on time," snapped Dooku, turning. "If this Jedi finds our plans, she will not comply. We have to find that weak point if it makes us desperate."

"Yes, Master," Ventress said with a slight quiver. The Count was always even until today. "I will do what I must."

"No," urged Dooku. "Another has volunteered to take your place in this operation. You have failed twice, and we cannot risk another mess up."

Ventress bit her lip and nodded. "I understand, Master." While in reality, her blood was boiling underneath her skin to kill her replacement. Someone who found favor with the Count must have been really helpful.

"Meet the Hooded Apprentice," said the Count, motioning to the open door.

A woman dressed all in a fitted black suit and a cloak entered, bowing in front of her Master and her accomplice.

"She will be replacing you in this operation." He smirked. "You can step down, am I correct?"

Ventress hissed at the smug look the mysterious woman gave her. "I can do more then you give me credit for."

"Lady Eclipse," he announced. "We will be leaving. This throne hardly does the Separatists good anymore."

"Yes, Master," complied the even lady. "We're leaving this backwater."


End file.
